U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced a new initiative to engage some of the nation's best teachers and education experts in sharing techniques for raising student achievement with other teachers from across the country. The Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative will also keep teachers informed of the latest strategies and research on educational practices that work in the classroom.

The four-pronged Teacher-to-Teacher initiative features:

Teacher RoundtablesThis spring and summer, the U.S. Department of Education will host discussions with teachers around the country on effective teaching, professional development, teacher leadership and ways to advance the teaching profession. The emphasis will be on listening and engaging teachers about what support they need to meet the academic needs of students.

Summer WorkshopsTeachers and education experts who have improved student achievement and closed the achievement gap will share experiences with fellow teachers on how to emulate these programs. Teachers will also receive additional resources, such as online assistance, to support them as they incorporate new strategies in the classroom.

Research-to-Practice SummitTo be held this summer in Washington, D.C., the summit comprises a day of listening and learning from experts in the field of scientifically based research and teachers with success in improving their students' achievement levels.

Teacher E-mail UpdatesElectronic updates will keep teachers apprised of the latest policy, research and developments in the profession.